Toronto is busy in-fighting with Phil Kessel and Ron Wilson squabbling while the Thrashers come into town in desperate need of a win. Which ends up being more disfunctional, the Leafs on the ice or the Thrashers defense? If Phil Kessel comes out motivated tonight, life could be made miserable for the Thrashers.

7:30 p.m.

NY Rangers @ Detroit

Can the Red Wings avoid a third straight shutout? They hope so and they’ll have Pavel Datsyukback in the lineup for the first time since December 22 to help them out. Meanwhile, the Rangers might be rolling with Martin Biron again in goal tonight. That would make for an odd way of going about things while the team has lost four in a row. One thing the Rangers could use is Marian Gaborik to find the net again. The superstar winger is struggling and frustrated with his lack of output. There’s a big game in his future and going up against the slumping Wings defense and goaltending might be the thing he needs to snap out of it. With Vinny Prospal and Erik Christensen back for him to play with, Gaborik’s running out of reasons why he can’t score.

8:00 p.m.

Edmonton @ Nashville

The Predators hope to keep pressure on the Red Wings and getting by the Oilers would seem like an easy thing to do to make it happen. The Oilers have lost four in a row and nine of their last ten games. The Predators snapped a four game slide of their own beating Detroit on Saturday. Keeping the momentum going would be huge for the Predators while the Red Wings have stumbled of late.

9:30 p.m.

Chicago @ Calgary

Calgary looks to get back on the winning side of things after having their six-game win streak snapped on Saturday night against the Kings. Chicago is coming off a tough loss to Vancouver on Saturday, a game that saw them go 0-fer on the power play while allowing the Canucks to boss them around late in the game. If the Flames were serious about getting back in the playoff mix beating Chicago would send the message. Whether that six game run was a last gasp for a team that played uninterested hockey for most of the season remains to be seen.

Phoenix @ Colorado

Now that Foppa watch is over with and the Avalanche await his on-ice return, they’ll look to show some disciplined and motivated play from their other players against the Coyotes. The Avs have lost five of their last six games and their defense and goaltending must get better if they’re going to hang in there in the West. Say, does Forsberg play either of those positions? The Coyotes have won just three of their last nine games but are looking to build off their 1-0 win over Minnesota on Saturday.

10:00 p.m.

Ottawa @ Vancouver

I don’t suppose we could get two teams going in opposite directions any faster than these two on tonight’s schedule. Ottawa is on a rocket ship for the basement of the Eastern Conference while the Canucks sit on top of the West like kings of the world. It helps that Vancouver is playing a mentally tougher brand of hockey than past teams have. They don’t get down when a team scores what should be a momentum-wrecking goal. Instead they fight back and keep at it to stay on top or to fight back in a game. In other words, they do everything that Ottawa doesn’t do. Ottawa is hoping that a trip to the west coast will help them snap their nine-game losing streak. Good luck with that.